Yup

If someone were to stumble upon my posts from the past month, they would assume two things about me - I make nothing but cards, and I bake nothing but pumpkin-based desserts. While these statements are not exactly accurate, this post isn't going to help to dispel the second assumption. But this pumpkin bread is so darn good that I'm willing to risk having some people think me to be a pumpkin-obsessed weirdo. One bite, and you may just become one yourself.

Maple-Pecan Pumpkin Bread

Adapted from The Bread Bible

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
• pinch ground cloves
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon-sugar (3 parts sugar to 1 part cinnamon)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. In a large bowl, cream together butter, sugar, and maple syrup using an electric mixer until light, approximately 3 minutes. Add the pumpkin, eggs, and vanilla to the butter mixture and beat for about 1 minute, until thoroughly blended. Add the flour mixture and beat on low speed until just moistened. Stir in the pecans by hand. Divide into 4 mini loaf pans (or 1 full-size loaf pan) and spread the tops until smooth. Sprinkle cinnamon-sugar over the top of each loaf.

Bake approximately 35 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool. The flavor is best once the bread sits for at least 12 hours.